Sepang, Malaysia – 21 October 2012: Mika Kallio stormed through the field not once but twice today, to take a hard fought seventh place finish in a Moto2 race that saw the worst of the Malaysian weather. Scott Redding started strongly, but faded after struggling for rear grip and eventually finished 12th.
Kallio got a flying start from the fifth row of the grid, making up places in the braking area for the tight right-hand turn one. The 29-year-old Finn got pushed wide in the corner, but continued to pick up places during the first half of the lap. Unfortunately for Kallio he ended up the innocent victim in a crash between Xavier Simeon and Johann Zarco, whose sliding bikes pushed Kallio off track.
The Marc VDS rider rejoined the race in 29th position, but immediately started his charge back through the field. Picking off riders on every lap, Kallio had fought his way through in seventh position when the race was red flagged due to heavy rain.
Redding took advantage of starting from second position on the grid, his best qualifying performance this season, to run with the leading group during the early stages of the race. The 19-year-old Briton has struggled this weekend with a lack of rear grip in wet conditions, and the problem returned with a vengeance in the race.
The Marc VDS rider found himself unable to match the pace of the front-runners in the worsening conditions, but managed to maintain a good rhythm and defend 12th place, and the championship points that went with it, to the chequered flag.
The Marc VDS Racing Team now head straight for Australia, to contest the penultimate round of the 2012 FIM Moto2 World Championship at Phillip Island, which takes place next weekend.
Mika Kallio #36: 7th Position
“My start was good and I made up places in the braking area for turn one, but then I got hit by a bike on the inside and pushed out wide. I managed to make up a few more places in the first half of the lap, but then Simeon and Zarco crashed on my inside and both their bikes hit me. I managed to stay on, just, but had to run off track and rejoined in 29th place. I knew I had good pace in the rain, so I just got my head down and picked off riders as I came across them. It was difficult to maintain a good rhythm, as there were a lot of much slow riders to contend with early on, but I’d managed to fight my way back to seventh when the race was red flagged. It’s a bit disappointing, as I could have been up there at the front if I hadn’t been forced off track on the opening lap.”
Scott Redding #45: 12th Position
“I found myself up at the front from the start, but only because everyone else was really steady from the off. I was struggling almost immediately for rear grip on corner entry, every time I closed the throttle to turn in the rear tried to come round on me. In the end I found the limit and tried to stay inside it but it wasn’t easy, just staying on the bike was difficult enough today. I’ve closed a little on Tom Lüthi in the championship, but after such a promising showing in the dry here in Malaysia, today’s wet race was something of a disappointment.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Mika has struggled to find a workable dry set-up this weekend, mainly due to time lost to mechanical issues. However, it was immediately obvious today that he had a wet set-up he was confident with and he was charging from the start. He stormed his way through the field from 29th to seventh and, without the off-track excursion as a result of the crash between Zarco and Simeon on the opening lap, I’m confident he’d have been on for a podium finish today. We knew Scott would struggle in the wet, as the rear grip on turn in has been an issue here since day one. We did manage to improve the bike for the race, but the problem was still there. He did a good job to bring it home in the points, closing the gap on Tom Lüthi and fourth place in the championship in the process.”
Kallio storms through to seventh in Malaysia
Redding and Kallio stay with Marc VDS for 2013!
Sepang, Malaysia – 18 October 2012: The Marc VDS Racing Team can today confirm that their Moto2 rider line up will remain unchanged for 2013. For the third successive season Scott Redding and Mika Kallio will spearhead the Marc VDS Racing Team’s assault on the World Championship aboard the latest specification Kalex Moto2 machines.
The two riders have taken eight Moto2 podium finishes between them for the Marc VDS Racing Team but, so far, a race win in the mostly hotly contested Grand Prix class has remained elusive. Both riders are determined to rectify this situation before the end of the current season, before focussing on the championship title in 2013.
The Marc VDS Racing Team will also field young Belgian rider, Livio Loi, in the 2013 FIM Moto3 Championship, having had their application for a grid slot confirmed in Malaysia. Loi, who hails from Helchteren in the Flemish part of Belgium, impressed in the Red Bull Rookies Cup this year, taking a race win and two podium finishes in his debut season, in a series that has become a breeding ground for future Grand Prix stars.
With the plans for 2013 confirmed, the Marc VDS Racing Team will now focus solely on this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, the first time the Grand Prix paddock has returned to the Sepang circuit since Marco Simoncelli’s tragic death here just 12 months ago.
Scott Redding #45:
“Where I’ll ride next year has been something of a distraction recently, so I’m happy to have signed for my fourth season with the Marc VDS Racing Team and now I can focus on these last three races. So far I’ve stood on every step of the Moto2 podium but the top one, and that has to be the target before the end of the year. This weekend will be difficult, not just because of the two long straights here at Sepang, but also because of the memories this track holds for everyone after Sic’s tragic crash here last year. We remembered him with a ceremony today, but we’ll also honour him by going balls out in Sunday’s race, which is exactly what he would be doing if he was still with us.”
Mika Kallio #36:
“I’m happy to be staying with the Marc VDS Racing Team next season. I had a couple of other options for 2013, but a third year here was the best of them all, so I’m pleased that we managed to work everything out. Malaysia was the turning point in the season for me last year and, after two difficult races in Spain and Japan, I’m hoping the same will be true again this time around. We have some upgrades for the bike this weekend, which should offer significant improvements, but we’ll need to evaluate them in practice before using them in the race. Of course, this year’s race here in Malaysia will be a poignant one, as it’s the first time we’ve visited Sepang since Marco’s fatal crash here 12 months ago. He was a larger than life character who still lives on in the memories of everyone in the paddock.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“We are happy to have signed Scott and Mika for another season with the Marc VDS Racing Team in Moto2. Doing so now means they can focus solely on the last three races of the season, with the team’s first Moto2 race win a target for them both. Livio Loi will also join the team in 2013, to contest the Moto3 World Championship aboard a Kalex KTM machine. Livio has impressed in the Red Bull Rookies Cup this season, but the step up to the Moto3 World Championship will be a big one for him, which is why we’ve signed him on a two-year deal. His first season will be a learning year, but I’m confident he’ll be challenging for results in year two. The plans for 2013 are finalised, but we have to finish this season strongly, starting this weekend in Malaysia. The conditions here in Sepang always make for a difficult race weekend, but this year will be even tougher because it’s the first time we’ve returned since Marco’s tragic death 12 months ago. It will be a hard race for us, but it will be doubly hard for San Carlo Gresini Honda this weekend and our thoughts are with Fausto Gresini and his team.”
Marc van der Straten: President, Marc VDS Racing Team
“I am happy that Scott and Mika will once again represent the Marc VDS Racing Team in the Moto2 World Championship next season. They have formed a formidable partnership over the last two years, with both contributing greatly to the success of the team. I am positive that before the end of next year we’ll see them both on the top step of the podium. Personally I am very excited about Livio Loi joining the Marc VDS Racing Team to contest the Moto3 World Championship next season. Developing young Belgian talent has been one of our objectives since we started our adventure on two wheels, and there is no doubt in my mind that Livio has what it takes to succeed at the very highest level. Now that we’ve been granted a place on the grid a new chapter in our two-wheeled adventure can begin.”
Scott Redding Podiums in Aragon!
Aragon, Spain – 30 September 2012: Scott Redding took his fourth podium finish of the 2012 season with an impressive third place in today’s Moto2 race at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain. Mika Kallio finished 16th after struggling throughout the race with a lack of grip.
Redding qualified ninth fastest in the difficult conditions yesterday, but got a good start and made up places in the first two turns to complete the first lap in sixth position. The 19-year-old Briton was able to match the lap times of the front runners in the early stages of the race, before upping the pace at the halfway point, moving his way through the field and eventually getting involved with the battle for second place being waged by Marc Marquez and Andrea Iannone.
There was no quarter given or asked by the three riders as they fought for supremacy on track, with hard moves the norm rather than the exception. After an intense battle with Marquez, who eventually escaped to secure second place, Redding set his sights firmly on Iannone and the final podium position. With both riders on the limit, and evenly matched in terms of lap times, it took a brave move from Redding in the Aragon Corkscrew to secure third position and his fourth podium finish of the season so far.
Kallio had high hopes of a top five finish at Aragon, but realised almost from the start that today would be a battle with the bike rather than with his rivals. The 29-year-old Finn struggled with a lack of grip in the cold conditions yesterday and, while most riders found more available grip with today’s higher track temperature, the same wasn’t true of Kallio. The Marc VDS rider pushed to the limit throughout the 21-lap race, but was unable to match the lap times of the leading group and had dropped back to 16th position at the chequered flag.
Scott Redding #45: 3rd Position
“It’s been a tough weekend, both with the weather and my right wrist. The wrist wasn’t causing me problems on the bike, but it was causing a lot of pain. I opted to go with painkillers for the race and I’m glad I did, but every lap was so busy I probably wouldn’t have even noticed the pain anyway. The battle with Marquez was a good one. I managed to pass him a couple of times only for him to pass me back on the straight. I didn’t want to slow us both down by continually passing him in the corners, as I wanted to catch Iannone, which we eventually did. Marquez managed to pull a gap, but Iannone couldn’t get away and I eventually managed to pass him for third with a bit of a risky move at the corkscrew. It’s a great result and I’d like to say a big thank you to the team and the guys in the Clinica Mobile for making it possible.”
Mika Kallio #36: 16th Position
“What can I say, this result was not what we were hoping for or expecting. Actually I’m not sure what happened during the race. We saw yesterday in the dry qualifying session that I was struggling for grip and I had the same problem today. The track conditions were better for the race but while others were able to find more grip, I was having the same issues as yesterday. It felt like I was on the limit and every time I tried to push it was like hitting a wall. I tried to be more aggressive then less aggressive, but it made no difference. I was off the pace and losing places with every lap without being able to do a thing about it, which was incredibly frustrating. We need to find out what the problem was, so we can ensure we don’t have similar issues in the future.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Scott was impressive here at Aragon. He’s played down the impact of his recent surgery all weekend, but he’s had to deal with a lot of pain on the bike and that’s especially true of today’s race. He rode a very clever race today, conserving his strength in the early laps and then taking the fight to Marquez and Iannone in the closing stages. He had the beating of both today, but he just couldn’t compensate for the ground lost to Marquez on the back straight. His move on Iannone was a risky one, but it showed just how much confidence he has in the bike and in himself. It was a great result for Scott in difficult circumstances. Mika is obviously disappointed to finish outside the points today, as he expected to be fighting for at least a top five finish. Why he should have grip issues when others didn’t is not clear at this time, but we are working to identify the problem so we can find a solution ahead of Motegi.”
Kallio Finishes Fourth!
Misano, Italy – 16 September 2012: Mika Kallio took a hard fought fourth place finish this afternoon at Misano, in a Moto 2 race run over just 14 laps following a restart because of oil on the track. Scott Redding was battling with his teammate early on in the race, but dropped back in the final few laps of the race and eventually finished seventh.
Both Kallio and Redding got away with the leading group of riders from the original start, but the race was red-flagged after just three laps when Gino Rea’s engine blew and deposited oil on the track. While Kallio restarted the race from his original grid position, ninth, Redding was demoted from the front to the second row and started from fifth.
Kallio got away cleanly once again at the restart, making up a handful of places in the run down to the first turn. The 29-year-old Finn then safely negotiated the tricky first three corners and was immediately involved in the battle for the race lead. Kallio continued to pick off places and was closing on the leading trio when he was held up by Tito Rabat, who was struggling for rear grip.
By the time Kallio had found a way past the Spaniard, Iannone, Espargaro and Marquez had already built up an insurmountable gap at the front of the race. The Marc VDS rider came under pressure from Tom Lüthi and Dominique Aegerter at mid-race distance, but held off both to claim fourth position at the chequered flag.
Redding also got away well from the restart, battling in the same group as his teammate. At the midpoint it looked like both Marc VDS riders would finish inside the top five, but as the race entered the closing stages the 19-year-old Briton lost a couple of places on the straight, which he was unable to reclaim through the corners.
It was a disappointment for Redding, who has been strong at Misano in all conditions this weekend and was confident of being able to fight for a podium finish today.
The Marc VDS Racing Team will return to action in two weeks time, in round 13 of the FIM Moto2 World Championship in Aragon, Spain.
Mika Kallio #36: 4th Position
“The start is all-important here at Misano, and I got away from the line cleanly from the restart, making up a lot of places into the first turn. Then I managed to find a clean line through turns two and three, which isn’t always easy, which put me onto the back of the leading group. I was pretty comfortable running the same pace as the front three, but then Tito Rabat started struggling for rear grip in front of me and trying to find a way past him held me up for a few laps. By the time I was through and into fourth, the leaders had gone. I tried to push to close the gap, but I felt like I was on the limit. I’m happy with fourth, but also disappointed to miss out on the podium. If we can find that little bit of pace we’re still missing, then I think we can be challenging for the podium at every race.”
Scott Redding #45: 7th Position
“I should have been on the podium here today, no question. I’ve been fast all weekend but, today, when it counted, the pace just wasn’t there. The short race should have suited me, and I was quick to find a good rhythm, but every time I passed someone they’d just drive past me on the straight and I couldn’t retake them in the next turn, because they had the speed that I was missing. It’s getting more and more frustrating now. For me it’s stopped being about who’s the best rider in Moto2, because physical size seems to be more important than skill. We need to find something to offset the disadvantage, and we need to find it fast.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Mika rode a great race, holding off some serious challenges from the likes of Lüthi, Rabat and Aegerter to finish fourth today. It was just unfortunate he got held up in the early stages otherwise I’m confident he’d have been on the podium today. Scott has been strong here all weekend but, once again, he was losing out on the straight in the race. We have tried everything we possibly can to reduce this, but we’ve only been partially successful. He’s bigger than everyone else, and we’re trying to compensate for that, but we’re starting to run out of options. But, we need to do something ahead of the next race at Aragon, where the long straight is certain to cause similar issues in the race. It’s not easy but then if it was, everyone would be doing it.”
Kallio shines in difficult conditions at Misano
Misano, Italy – 14 September 2012: Mika Kallio mastered the difficult mixed conditions to finish the opening day at Misano fifth fastest, despite a low speed crash towards the end of this afternoon’s wet session. Scott Redding struggled to find a good feeling with the bike in the difficult conditions and ended the day in 17th position.
Mika Kallio was tenth fastest in this morning’s 45-minute free practice, which was held in wet conditions after a rain shower arrived over the Misano circuit shortly before the start of the session. Grip was both difficult to find and the level difficult to predict, offering little feedback to Kallio as he pushed to find the limit on full wet tyres.
Conditions were similar for the start of this afternoon’s second free practice, with the sporadic rain arriving at the start and soaking the track, but then stopping almost immediately, allowing conditions to improve as the session progressed. Kallio was running consistently near the top of the timesheet throughout, improving on his time from this morning, but had to settle for fifth position after crashing uninjured towards the end of the session.
Kallio wasn’t the only Marc VDS rider to crash today, as Redding went down uninjured after losing the front in this morning’s free practice. The 19-year-old Briton returned to the track before the end of the session, eventually finishing 17th fastest.
Like his teammate Redding improved his lap time during this afternoon’s free practice, but struggled with edge grip in the wet conditions, on a track that offered little in the way of grip or feedback. The Marc VDS rider ended the day 17th fastest, but is confident that, once conditions improve tomorrow, he has the pace to run closer to the top of the timesheet.
Mika Kallio #36: 5th – 1’52.569
“Apart from the crash this afternoon, I think we can be satisfied with fifth position and just 0.5 off the fastest guys in these conditions today. The crash was one of those things; maybe I made a small mistake and got a bit off line, because the rear just came round on me when I got on the throttle and it flicked me over the highside. Ahead of this afternoon’s session we made a few small set-up changes, which improved the feeling, but the grip level is so low here it was difficult to know where the limit was. I was on the pace in these conditions today but, like everyone else, I’m hoping the forecast for better weather tomorrow proves to be correct.”
Scott Redding #45: 17th – 1’53.998
“The crash this morning was a little bit unexpected; I was just riding around when I gave it a little bit too much front brake, locked the front and it chucked me off. This afternoon’s session wasn’t too bad, but I didn’t quite have the feeling that I normally have in the rain. I struggled a bit to get the bike turned and I was missing a bit of edge grip at the rear. I was trying to be smooth, but the bike was moving around a lot underneath me and lap times just didn’t seem to come. I’m not too concerned, as the conditions are supposed to be better tomorrow and we know we have a dry set-up that we can go straight into the race with if we need to.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Rain, blustery wind and a cold and slippery track; conditions couldn’t have been much worse today. Mika did a good job today, quickly finding a set-up and a rhythm that allowed him to continually improve his pace throughout both sessions. Unfortunately he got caught out right at the end, crashing without injury after going off line, otherwise I think he’d have been a bit closer to the top of the timesheet today. Scott’s confidence took a bit of a knock with the crash this morning and he wasn’t able to find a good feeling with the bike in either session as a result. The forecast is for better conditions tomorrow, and I’m confident that Scott will take advantage to improve his pace and his position.”
Kallio takes first podium of the season with second at Sachsenring
Sachsenring, Germany – 8 July 2012: Mika Kallio took his first podium finish of the 2012 season with a superb second place in the German Moto2 Grand Prix at the Sachsenring this afternoon. What was already a difficult weekend for Scott Redding got even worse today, as he collided with Toni Elias on the opening lap and crashed out of the race.
Top Ten For Redding & Kallio In Qatar Season Opener!
The Marc VDS Racing Team’s Scott Redding took a solid sixth place finish in tonight’s Grand Prix of Qatar, the opening round of the 2012 Moto2 World Championship, with Mika Kallio just four places further back in tenth.
Redding started tonight’s 20-lap race from 13th position on the grid, after a difficult qualifying session yesterday, but immediately set about making up places from the start. The Marc VDS rider maintained a consistent pace through the early stages, picking up places on every lap and eventually joining the group battling for the lead. [Read more...]
KALLIO MAKES HIS MARK AT FINAL JEREZ TEST
Jerez, Spain – 21 March 2012: Mika Kallio and Scott Redding will head for the opening race of 2012 in Qatar confident of making a positive start to the season, after a strong showing in the final three-day preseason test at the Jerez circuit in Spain.
Kallio ended the Jerez test fourth fastest on combined times, just 0.318s off the fastest lap set by fellow Kalex rider Claudio Corti. Redding was just 0.3s further back in seventh position, despite struggling with illness and technical issues during the three-day test. [Read more...]
REDDING AND KALLIO READY TO ROLL IN JEREZ
The Jerez circuit plays host to the final Moto2 preseason test next week, with the Marc VDS Racing Team’s Scott Redding and Mika Kallio both heading to Spain with their sights set firmly on finishing on top of the timesheet.
The three days at Jerez will see the Moto2 contenders testing with the 2012 race engines which, together with the official timing that has been absent from the two previous tests, will allow direct comparisons to be made between the riders for the first time this year. [Read more...]
Patrick Jacobsen Will Make His Internation Debut
PJ Jacobsen will make his international debut at Phillip Island in February for the opening World Supersport race after signing to ride for PTR Honda in 2012.
[Read more...]
